Face mask and button type pad



Nov. 30, 1937. w, A, SCHUTT FACE MASK AND BUTTON TYPE PAD Filed June 18, 1936 A TTORNEYS.

- WKM Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTjOFFi-CE, l5" 2,100,553 m 7.1. [FACE MASK AND BUTTON TYPE PAD 31 William A. same, Litchfield, 111. Application June 18, 1936, Serial No. 85,860,

3 Claims.

My invention relates to resilient pads, and J more especially to pads adapted to be detachably secured into operative position; an object of my invention being to provide a button type pad pro- 5 vided with a surface recess in its construction adapted to engage the holding means therefor, and whereby the resilient characteristics of the pad will have a tendency to 'detachably hold the same into its operative position. A purpose of my invention is to provide such a button type resilient pad in such forms and of such materials as will make it possible to adapt this button type pad for use as a comfort pad or protection pad in sports and the like, and to adapt the same for use in connection with articles of merchandise needing an absorbent material in such a pad.

' A further purpose of my invention is to provide a detachable button type pad shaped to de- 20 fine an engaging channel therein and preferably made of some one or more of such materials as rubber, sponge rubber, felt, or other suitable materials possessing resilient qualities of comfort and protection or absorbent characteristics.

A further purpose of my invention is to provide as an adaptation of my detachable button type pad a combination with the same defining a face mask or face shield for use in games of sport; particularly such sports as baseball and 30 the like wherein the face of the catcher and umpire, referee, or other players in this or other sports may require such protection as such a mask would afford.

Such face masks have usually been made of a 35 heavy wire material with pads of various types used for cushioning the contact of the mask with the face.

Some of such pads were made of leather and tied in place while others were laced on, etc.

40 It is with the thought of this arrangement in mind that I have been prompted to develop certain improvements in face masks and their pads and I now disclose the nature of my invention in this specification and set forth the purposes 45 thereof.

A primary purpose of the present adaptation of my invention is to provide a face mask and button type pad which will make it possible to use an effectively cushioned pad which may be 50 easily and quickly put on or taken off.

A further purpose of this adaptation is to provide a face mask and pad which can be made serviceable and yet comparatively inexpensive yet is very convenient and easy to manipulate.

55 A further purpose of this adaptation is. to be V able to make a face mask and pad whereinthe pad may have every advantage of the cushioning resiliency needed in any mask pad and yet have A it made of such novel construction, and: design that it is easy and quick'to manipulate when it 5 needs to be removed for cleaning, etc. 7

It is with these and other purposes in view that I have provided a face mask and button type pad which may 'be made of leather, rubbenl, sponge rubber, felt or other-suitable pad mate-"10 rials but for the sake of explanationpurposes I have shown in the drawing of this application a sponge rubber used as a button type pad for my mask.

I attain the objects of this novel adaptation of my invention as a combination of my button type pad with a face mask, by the face mask and pad described in the annexed specification, recited in v the claims and illustrated in'the accompanying drawing wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts inthe several figures: 7 V Referring to the figures:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of my face mask and button type pad.

Fig. 2 is a front View of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a side view of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the button type pad of my inventionshowing in better detail the channel which holds the same in place when in operative position. i

I prefer to point out the advantages of my in.- vention while making reference .to the drawing wherein a wire type mask member I, shaped to define a cupped screen protection over the face of one who needs such protection in games of sport where a ball may be thrown in the game.

This mask is made to place the wire members thereof in position to guard the face against in jury. Pads, worn with the mask, havebeen usually tied or laced to it in a position where the outer periphery of the mask would contact the face if the pad were not there.

Leather pads have very commonly been worn and have been tied in place or laced.

In connection with numerous experiments I have found it very practical, convenient and economical to use a button type pad on this mask 7 and a pad such as may bemade of sponge rubber, rubber, leather, felt, or any other suitable material for such purposes which maynow or p in the future be available for that purpose.

For instance, I make mask l in a manner which defines about its periphery a series of openings 2, 3, and 4, each adapted to provide what I choose to call a button hole for the purpose of operatively supporting a like number of button type pads 5, 6, and 1.

These pads each have a cushion portion 8, a button flange portion 9 and a channel l0 which extends completely around the pad.

Thus, when the pad material is flexible and resilient the flange part 9 may be buttoned into these peripheral button holes 2,3, and 4 where they are held firmly and effectively by the resiliency in the pad material.

It will be obvious to those who are familiar with sporting goods that when using such face masks and button type pads as my invention, the convenienoe in its manipulation will be about the same whether sponge rubber, leather, felt or the like are used and the material used thus in this situation will depend upon the demand for specific purposes and in different localities.

It will be noted in Fig. 1 at the upper left portion of the mask-that the button type pad 5 is shown as it would appear when flange 9 is being pressed into the button hole or opening 2 which supports it.

To those who are familiar with the manufacture' of and common use of such sporting goods as I have described and shall define as my invention, it will be obvious that minor details of form and construction of my invention may be changed if desired without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. As a new product of manufacture a face mask for sports and shaped to define spaced button engaging openings therein, resilient pad members for the mask and each shaped to define a detachable buttontype pad having a peripheral slot around it to detachably engage said button engaging openings of the mask.

2. The combination of a wire type face mask having a plurality of spaced openings, with a button type resilient sponge rubber pad for engaging said spaced openings; said pads each provided with a peripheral slot all around it, by which it may respectively button resiliently into said openings of the mask, in which operative position the resiliency of the rubber urges a resistance to the removal of the pad.

3. As a new product of manufacture, a wire type face mask for sports, and formed in a shape defining spaced button engaging openings therein, resilient felt pad members for engaging said spaced openings; said pads each provided with a peripheral slot all around it, by which it may WILLIAM .A. SCHUTT. 

